Sprint LG Viper 4G stakes green smartphone claim

Beth Buczynski EarthTechling, 22nd October 2016

It’s April, which means every company in the US is trying to come up with an “Earth Day” angle that will allow it to capitalize on the annual bout of environmentalism that surfaces this time every year.

Sprint is no exception, with the announcement that preordering for the LG Viper, its first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features, will open on April 12.

We decided to cut through all the PR hype to see whether or not the LG Viper really lives up to the "green" media frenzy.

What we found was a smartphone that makes quite an impressive effort to limit energy consumption and toxic materials. And it’s not too hard on the eyes either.

According to the company specs,the LG Viper is ULE Platinum Certified, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment.

Its protective casing is made from 50 percent recycled plastics and it’s RoHS compliant, which means no hazardous materials such as PVC, phthalates, halogens and mercury.

But the LG Viper’s most environmentally friendly feature could be the included charger, which exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency when it comes to no-load consumption, and is said to only consume 0.03 watts of power when plugged into a wall outlet without being connected to the phone (something we all do).

The ultra-thin Viper also boasts a 4-inch touchscreen that the company claims will remain readable even in direct sunlight. It also has a Corning Gorilla Glass screen protector for extra display resistance while on the go.

So, while its not going to save the planet all on its own, the Viper is certainly worthy of consideration, especially if you’re an existing Sprint customer with a contract renewal coming up.